Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

The paradigm for environmental analysis is changing. Currently, environmental laboratories perform analyses using "targeted" methods of analysis: those where laboratories measure the abundances of specific known compounds present in the samples. The problem with this approach in the context of the modern environmental analysis is that more often than not, one does not know what compounds to test for beforehand. In one recent example from Pennsylvania, well water was obviously contaminated (it looked milky and foamed like beer); however, the tests performed by several laboratories all came back negative for contamination. The compounds that were the source of the contamination were not on the list of targets for the laboratories. Thus, while the laboratory results were correct, they were not particularly informative. The solution to this problem is to follow the paradigm of "non-target" analysis. Using this approach, the laboratory will attempt to identify as many compounds present in the sample as possible. About 15 years ago, a new technique (comprehensive multidimensional gas chromatography) emerged as the most powerful tool for targeted and non-targeted analyses. It is routinely used to separate and identify thousands of different compounds in samples from a range of fields of research, and it has revolutionized how scientists study the chemistry of their samples. However, due to the cost and complexity of the instrumentation, the technique has not entered the routine laboratory. This research project seeks to move advanced separations technologies into the routine analytical laboratory. Upon completion of this project, a series of methods will have been developed and deployed to our commercial laboratory partner. The initial theme of these analyses is "petroleum and the environment". Methods for detailed characterization of petroleum-related samples will be developed covering the range of air emissions, spills to soil and water, and various petroleum products. The vision is that these new analyses will provide more, better information to the laboratory (and its clients), permit the development of improved environmental regulations, improved tools for environmental forensics, and improved tools for petroleum exploration.